Nutrition Claims, Decoded.
Every claim on the front of a UK food pack has a legal threshold. "Low fat" means a specific number. "Source of fibre" means a specific number. "No added sugar" means a specific thing. This reference decodes each claim, what it legally requires, and how it sits next to the rest of the label. Free. Open. No paywall.
UK nutrition claims are governed by retained EU Regulation 1924/2006. The Annex sets out the conditions for every permitted claim. Claims not on the approved list cannot be used — "boosts immunity", "natural fat-burner", "detoxifying" are not permitted nutrition claims in UK food advertising. The thresholds below are the legal floor; manufacturers can exceed them, but the floor is what the claim guarantees.
Methodology · Sources · Caveats
Why this matters. A nutrition claim on a food pack is a regulated statement. The thresholds below come from retained EU Regulation 1924/2006 Annex. A manufacturer using "low fat" must meet the threshold; one using "high in fibre" must meet the higher threshold; "reduced sugar" requires a specific percentage reduction against a comparable product. Knowing the thresholds tells you exactly what the claim guarantees.
Health claims vs nutrition claims. A nutrition claim is a statement about a nutrient or substance ("low fat", "high fibre", "source of vitamin C"). A health claim is a statement about a relationship to health ("calcium contributes to the maintenance of normal bones"). Health claims must be on the EFSA approved register; only those wordings, or substantively similar, may be used. Disease-prevention claims require a higher bar (Article 14).
The "no added sugar" subtlety. "No added sugar" means no mono- or disaccharides have been added. Sugars naturally present (fructose in fruit juice, lactose in milk) remain. Products carrying "no added sugar" must add the statement "contains naturally occurring sugars" if the product still has substantial sugar content from those sources.
Sources. Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims (retained UK law); EU Regulation 432/2012 list of permitted health claims; Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra); UK Food Standards Agency; Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rulings on claim language.
Verdicts. Strict threshold — specific quantitative requirement that does not vary. Threshold with context — threshold that applies relative to a comparator or with significant exceptions. Approved claim — permitted statement with a defined meaning.
What this is not. Not medical advice. Meeting a "low fat" threshold does not make a product healthy in absolute terms; "high in protein" does not mean the product is high quality. Always read the back-of-pack nutrition declaration alongside the front claims.
Why this is free. Per SCANSMART's Belongs-to-Everyone Rule.
Sources
- Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (retained UK law)
- Annex to 1924/2006 — the conditions for each permitted nutrition claim (the table this page mirrors)
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 — the list of permitted health claims
- EFSA NDA Panel opinions — the scientific basis for each approved health claim
- UK Food Standards Agency — UK guidance on claim usage
- ASA Advertising Standards Authority — rulings on misleading claims
- Defra — labelling guidance for industry
Thresholds reflect retained EU law as of May 2026. UK divergence on individual claims is possible going forward but the framework remains aligned to date.
Where this reference connects.
For deeper evidence-vault treatment connecting this reference to the SCANSMART analytical framework, see: Impulse Buying Triggers · Food Marketing to Kids · Brand vs Manufacturer · Reformulation Tracking (reformulation often unlocks new regulated claims) · Cultural Food Myths · Global Staple Foods · Dietary Patterns · Carbohydrate Types · Caffeine and Health · Industry Funding Bias in Nutrition Research · UPF Brain & Cognitive Claims · Children’s Oral Health · Behaviour Change & Decision-Point Capture.
Reference-format consistency pass · 11 May 2026 · Stale-date reminder: re-check after next EFSA Article 13/14 register update and UK retained-law amendments · SCANSMART is a food literacy and decision-support platform. It is not a medical device and does not provide medical advice.